Box-feeding apparatus



F. STEBLER ET AL BOX FEEDING APPARATU S 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original FiledApril 19, 1919 mm m& Q 3 N 8 QNN m E mw 8, km.

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F. STEBLER ET AL BOX FEEDING APPARATUS @919 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 OriginalFiled April 19,

gwuento'w Patented June 15, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

FRED S'IEBLER, OF RIVERSIDE, AND GEORGE T. STAKE, OI UPLAND, CALIFORNIA,AS- I SIGNOBS TO STEBLER PARKER (10., OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, ACORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

BOX-FEEDING APPARATUS.

Original application filed April 19, 1919, Serial No. 291,243, PatentNo.1,474,857, dated November 20, 1928.

Divided and this application This invention relatesto mechanism for 19,1919, now Patent 1,474,857, Nov. 20, 1923.

An object of the invention is to eflect the feeding by an apparatus thatfunctions reliably and by one that is of comparatively simpleconstruction when the various-functions of the machine are taken intoconsideration.

One of the objects of the invention is to make provision for positivelyfeeding boxes one at a time so. that the boxes being fed will notinterfere with one another.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the subjoined detaileddescription.

. The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention 2 Fig. 1 is a sideelevation of a box feeding apparatus constructed in accordance with theprovisions of this invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the discharge end portion of theapparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation on the line indicated by 3-3,Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on the line indicated by 4-4, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail on the line indicated by 55, Fig.4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional detail on the line indicated by 66, Fig.4.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a box handling apparatus embodying theinvention, the feeding means corresponding to the showing in Fig. 1 andbeing associated with an elevator.

Mounted on suitable supports 78 is a gravity feed conveyer indicated ingeneral by the character 79. The gravity conveyer 79 comprisesrotatively mounted rollers 80 and the portion 81 of the conveyer slopesgently downward and rearward toward the discharge end of the apparatusso that boxes placed thereon will be caused by gravity to roll upon therollers 80 toward any apparatus to which the boxes are to be fed.Another portion 82 of the conveyer slopes downwardly and forwardly at asomewhat greater angle than the portion 81 for a reason to behereinafter set forth. Another portion 83 of the conveyer issubstantially filed September 4, 1923. Serial: No. 860,707.

space 84 extending substantially from the conveyer portion 82 to theconveyer portion 83 are endless conveyer chains 85 mounted on sprockets86 which are fast on shafts 87 journaled in bearings 88 that are mountedon the side members 89 of the conveyer-79. The chains 85 extend alongthe inner faces of the conveyer side members 89 and said chains alsopass beneath sprocket wheels 90 fixed to shafts 91 journaled in bearings92 on brackets 110 which are hung from the conveyer side members 89, asclearly shown in Fig. 3. Thus, it will be seen that the portion 85- ofthe box-conveying means is inclined upwardly with respect to theadjacent portion 82 of said conveying-means to effect relative tiltingof boxes on the two portions to create a space between the boxes, as oneof said boxes passes from the conveyer portion 82 onto the conveyer 85.Such space is shown in Fig. 1 between the boxes b, g, and is formed byrelative tilting of said oxes.

The rear conveyer shaft 87 is provided with a sprocket wheel 93 that maybe connected by an endless sprocket chain, not shown, with a sprocketwheel, not shown, that may be driven in any suitable manner. Theconveyer chains 85 are provided with abutments in the form of rollers 96each journaled at 97 in a bifurcated arm 98 on one of the links of thechain. These rollers 96 are adapted to engage the rear ends of the boxesas the chains 85 impel the boxes rearward toward the discharge ends. Theconveyer portion 83 constitutes a platform or table on which the boxesrest and from which the boxes may be picked up by elevator box supports131, or other members that may be impelled upward between the two rowsof rollers 100 of the conveyer portion 83. The box supports 131 areoperated by the endless chains 132 of an elevator indicated in generalin Fig. 7 by the character 133. Thus said box supports can move upwardin under the box and lift the same from the platform.

A stop roller 99 functions to regulate the feed of the boxes to theportion 83 of the conveyer. Means'are provided to move the roller 99 upand down at the appropriate times so as to insert it in the space formedbetween adjacent boxes by the relative tiltin of said boxes and so as toretract the r0 ler 99 to a position below the level of the horizontalruns of the chains in order that I the box on the chains 85 may bepropelled rearward by said chains. In the instance shown in the drawingsthe means for reci members 89. The shaft 103 will be journaled inthe'rearmost bearings 104, when a longer box is to be accommodatedbetween the roller 99 and the rollers 96, and, when a shorter box is tobe accommodated between said rollers, said shaft 103 will be journaledin the forward bearings 104. The slides 105 may be adjusted horizontallyby adjusting screws 108 which bear against the rear ends of the slidesand which are screw-threaded in lugs 109 projecting inward from thebrackets 110. By adjusting the screws 108 the distance between therollers 96 and the roller 99 ma be increased or diminished to someextent irrespective of whether the shaft 103 is positioned in the frontor rear' bearings 104. The arms 102 are connected together at their rearends by a rod 111 which serves to pivot the arms to an ad ustable pit--man 112. This pitman 112 at its lower end forms a head 113 having a way114 for rollers 115 rotatively mounted on the outer ends of crank arms116 fixed to a shaft 117.

The crank arms 116 are arranged diametrically opposite to one anotherand the way 114 is so constructed that when the shaft 117 is turned therollers 115 will alternatively enter the way at one end, push the pitman112 u ward, move the pitman 112 downward and then leave the we 114. Theshaft 117 is rotated in a step y ste movement so that the roller 99 M11be hel for a sufiicient length of time below the level of the upper runof the chains 85 to allow a box to pass from in front of the roller 99to the rear thereof and so that the roller 99 will be held for aninterval of time above the level of the chains 85 to prevent the box onthe chains 85 from moving onto the table 83 before the box on the tablehas been moved therefrom by the apparatus to which the boxes are fed,and these means will now be described. The shaft 117 is 'journaled inbearings 118 on the brackets 110, there being collars 119 on said shaftbearing against the inner faces of the bearings 118 to prevent endwisemovement of said shaft. To one end of the shaft 117 is fixed a rotarymember in the form of a disk 120 having radiall extending slots 121adapted to be engage one at a' time by eitherone of pins 122 on theadjacent chain 85 when the pin comes adjacent the rocket wheel engagingthe chain. on w ich the pins are mounted. The slots 121 may be of anynumber desired, and in the drawrenlgs there are shown four such slotsquarter or arranged at 90 of circular measurement from one another. Theportions of the chain 25 adjacent the slotted disk 120 extend from thesprockets 86 to the sprocket 90 in planes that are substantially 90 ofcircular measurement from one another so that either of-the pins 122will readily enter the outer end of any one of the slots 121 in registerwith said in, then move the disk 120 through an ange of 90 and thenleavethe slot. Thus it is clearsince there are two pins 122 in thisinstance that, for every revolution of the chain 85, the disk 120 isturned through an an 1c of 180.

The momentum given to the isk 120 by the pin 122 might'cause the disk120 to rotate more than 90 at one time if no means were provided to(Prevent it and such means have een provi ed and will now be described.The pin 122, as it moves downward 1n any one of the slots 121 which ithappens to engage, engages the edge of a latch plate 123 carrying 9. lug124 adapted to engage 1 any one of the slots 121 that may at the timehub 125. The locking plate 123 is rovided' with an ear 127 pro ectingthrong a slot 128 in an extension of one of the brackets 110. Thus thisbracket and its car 127 prevent rotation of the locking plate 123 andallow said locking plate tobe shifted and the ear guides the plate.Between the ear 127 and a lug 129 on the bracket extension 110 is a coilspring 130 which is put under compression when the locking plate 123 ismoved in a direction to retract the lug 124 from the appropriate slot121. Thus it is clear that, when the pin 122 moves past the lockingplate 123 and out of engagement therewith so as to release it, the lug124 will ride on the periphery of the disk until the next succeedingslot 121 comes into registration with said lug, whereupon the expansiveforce of the spring 130 will operate to retract the locking plate 123 tomove the lug 124 into the adjacent slot 121, thus In practicaloperation, assuming that power has been applied to the sprocket wheel 23to drive the apparatus and assuming at the start that boxes a, b, c arepositioned in the apparatus, as in Fig. 1, the stop roller 99 has justrisen so as to hold box 6 from advancing any farther toward thedischarge end of the apparatus. The box a atthe same time'is moved bythe rollers 96 onto the conveyor portion 83. The roller 99 retains thebox 6 until the box a has been moved out of the horizontal path ofmovement of the box I) by the-elevator 133 or other apparatus with whichthe box feeder is associated. Thereupon one of the pins 122 en gages theplate 123 and moves it out of looking position as in Fig. 4. The pin 122thus unlocking the plate 123 continues to move and rotate the disk 120through an angle of whereupon the lug 124 engages the appropriate slot121 to lock the disk against further movement as in Fig. 1. This quarterrotation of the disk 120 turns the shaft 117 one quarter of a revolutionso as to cause one of the crank arms 1.16 to retract the pitman 112 andthereby retract the roller 99 from engagement with the box I).

When the roller 99 has been thus retracted the box I) is impelled by thechains 85 and rollers 96 toward the conveyer. By the time that the box12 has passed to the rear of the roller 99, the second pin 122 has comeinto position to engage the locking plate 123 and rotate the disk 120another quarter of a turn. This turning of the disk 120 has causedupward movement of the pitman 112 to move the roller 99 to position inrear of the next succeeding box 0 which meantime has taken the place ofthe box I) on the chains 85. This box a is stopped by the roller 99. Thebox I) continues to move toward the discharge end of the apparatus untilit is in correct position on the table 83 for delivery to the elevator133 or other apparatus with which the box feeding apparatus isassociated.

The invention is not limited in its broader aspects to the exactconstruction described above and shown in the drawings, but theinvention includes such changes and modifications as lie within thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim 1. In a box handling apparatus, a conveyer, means to spaceadjacent boxes from one another on the conveyer, a stop adapted to bemoved into the space between the adjacent boxes, means to intermittentlyoperate the stop to and from said space, and means to positively moveone of said boxes away from the other while the stop is positioned insaid space.

2. In a box handling apparatus, endless chains, box supports havinghorizontally projecting members and fastened to the chains, means tooperate the chains, a table through which the box Supports pass, andmeans to positively engage and propel boxes one at a time to the table.

3. In a box handling apparatus, rotatively mounted conveyer chains,means to feed boxes to the chains, means on the chains to engage the boxthereon and space it from the next succeeding box, -meansto rotate thechains, and means operating at-predetermined intervals of time to holdthe box on the chains against movement.- 4. In a box handling apparatus,box-movng means, and means associated with the box-moving means andoperating at predeterminedintervals of 'time to hold the box againstbeing impelled by the box-moving means.

5. In abox handling apparatus, conveyer chains, means to operate saidchains, a boxengaging abutment on each chain, a boxengaging abutmentadapted to engage the front end of a box on the chains, and meansoperated by one of the chains to move the second named abutmentalternatively up siti-ons respectively.

and down into'and out of box-engaging pov 6. In a box-handlingapparatus, box-con veying means, a box-engaging abutment adapted toengage the front end of a box on the box-conveying means, and meansoperated by the box-conveying means to move the abutment alternativelyup and down into and out of box-engaging positions respectively.

7. In a box handling apparatus, endless box-conveying means, a pin onthe box-conveying means, a box-engaging abutment adapted toengage thefront end of a box on the box-conveying means, and means operated in astep-by-step motion by' the pin as the box-conveying means operates tomove the abutment alternatively upand down into and out of box-engagingpositions respectively. j

8. In a box handling apparatus, endless box-conveying means, a pin onthe box-conveying means, a box-engaging abutment adapted to engage thefront end of a box on the box-conveying means, and a rotative memberoperatively connected with the abutment and having a slot engageable bythe pin once in every revolution of the boxconveying means.

9. In a box handling apparatus, endless box-conveying means, a pin onthe boxconveymg means, a box-engaging abutment adapted to engage thefront end of a box on w the box-conveying means, a rotative memberoperatively connected with the abutment and having a slot engageable bythe pin once in every revolution of the box-conveying means, and meansto hold the rotative member against rotation except when said memher isbeing actuated by the pin.

- 10.- In a box handling apparatus, endless box-conveying means, a pinon the box-conveying means, a box-engaging abutment adapted to engagethe front end of a box on the box-conveying means, a rotative memberoperatively connected with the abutment and having a slot engage'ablebythe pin once in every revolution of the box-conveying means, and meansretractive by the pin as it enters the slot to lock the rotative memberagainst rotation. a

11. In a box handling apparatus, endless box-conveying means, a pin onthe box-conveying means, a box-engaging abutment adapted to engage thefront end of a box on the box-conveying means, and means connected withthe abutment and operative by the pin once in every revolution of thebox-conveying means to alternatively move the abutment up and down intoand out of box-engaging position respectively.

12. In a box handling apparatus, endless box-conveying means, a pin onthe box-conveying means, a box-engaging abutment adapted to engage thefront end of a box on the box-conveying means, means connected with theabutment and operative by the pin once in every revolution of thebox-convey- 1,5ee,s21

ing means to alternatively'move the abutment up and down into and out ofbox-engaging positions respectively, and other means adapted to lock thelast named means against movement and adapted to be thrown out oflocking position by the pin just before the pin causes operation of theabutmont moving means.

13. In a box handling apparatus, conveying means having a portioninclined upwardly with respect to another adjacent portion to effectrelative tilting of boxes on the two portions to create a space betweenthe boxes, a stop, and means to intermittently operate the stop to 'andfrom said space.

14. In a box handling apparatus, endless chains, box supports havinghorizontally projecting members and fastened to the chains, a tablethrough which the box supports pass, means to positively propel boxes onto the table, and an intermittently operated member cooperating with thepropelling means to feed boxes one at a time to the table.

Signed this 7th day of August, 1923.

FRED STEBLER. GEORGE T. STAMM.

